Thanks, @agdr03, for the link to Zhao LuSi’s dramas on mydramalist.
2018
1. Cinderella Chef (supporting role)
Skip this. There are better cdramas starring Zhao Lusi to watch.
2. Oh! My Emperor (main lead)
From what I understood Zhao Lusi plays a 21st century medical intern who mysteriously travels to a world governed by the star constellations. The ruler is rotated every millennium from the representatives of the different zodiac signs. When Zhao Lusi’s character arrives, the emperor is from Capricorn and their personality clash. Probably because they’re both bull-headed or something like that.
I didn’t watch this because as you know I don’t believe in astral/zodiac mumbo-jumbo.
But she looked cute here.
Episodes: 21
Network: Tencent Video
Where to Watch It? Viki
2019
3. I Hear You (main lead)
My comment:
I watched this but fast-forwarded a lot. Now, I can’t remember much of the story, and I regret even wasting time to fast-forward through the drama.
At first the premise sounded interesting. He’s a world-famous violin maker (technical term: luthier). She’s an aspiring voice actress. They’re roped into pretending to be a couple for a dating reality show as couple. But he’s snooty and she’s feisty, and whenever they’re together, they rub each other the wrong way. IIRC, the only thing they have in common is they both have a perfect pitch.
But there’s nothing remarkable about this show; the usual tropes didn’t produce any butterflies in my stomach. Like this one.
With so many good romcoms and romances out there, you can do better.
Costar: Riley Wang (who’s Canadian Chinese, IIRC)
Episodes: 24
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Netflix
*edited to add this: Canadian readers on this blog, don’t kill me!! Riley Wang had no business taking on this luthier role. One, he couldn’t play the violin. Two, he couldn’t FAKE playing the violin. Tsk tsk tsk. He should have at least prepped for his role by taking a few lessons.
4. Prodigy Healer (main lead)
She plays a human doctor again, who enters a fantasy world again. He practices traditional medicine in this world. They both find to return her to her world and he accompanies her. They discover that her modern world is being plagued by a mysterious disease. (Hmmm? Was this filmed in 2019? The year Covid began in Hubei, China??)
My comment: Skip this.
Episodes: 36
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Viki
5. Love Better Than Immortality (main lead)
The synopsis from Viki:
In the year 2196 technology has advanced so much, that what was once considered extraordinary has now become ordinary. No longer troubled by the cares of daily life, nor plagued by the fear of death, humans have attained a new level of existence. But immortality comes at a cost. Trading the genuine experiences of a life well lived for those attained through virtual reality programs, humans can do the impossible. But some, like Chun Hua (Zhao Lu Si), have found that these virtual experiences just can’t satisfy their innate need to experience something real.
Dissatisfied with her life, Chun Hua longs to experience true love. Seeking out a program that guarantees an experience like no other, Chun Hua agrees to subject herself to a most unusual adventure, giving up her immortality for a chance to experience true love. Waking up in a completely different world, Chun Hua finds herself quickly entangled in a complicated love story between the arrogant and aggressive Qiu Yue (Li Hong Yi) and the kind and gentle Xiao Bai (June Wu).
Mortal enemies, Qiu Yue and Xiao Bai are as different as night and day, yet both find themselves falling for Chun Hua. Torn between love at first sight and a love strengthened over time, Chun Hua must decide which man has truly won her heart.
Based on the novel of the same name by Shu Ke, “Love Better Than Immortality” is a fantasy adventure romance drama directed by Huang Chun.
Episodes: 36
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Viki
2020
6. Love of Thousand Years (main lead)
Synopsis from Viki:
Fu Jiu Yun (Zheng Ye Cheng) is an immortal deity who falls in love with a mortal woman and longs to begin a relationship with her. Although he is very powerful, he finds himself repeatedly unable to win her heart, and instead ends up following her through 1,000 years and 10 different mortal incarnations.
But when she is reborn as a princess, things promise to be different – particularly after an evil-minded prince from a neighboring realm hatches a devious plan with a group of demons. The plot succeeds in wiping out the princess’ family and devastating her realm, but she manages to take on the form of her maid Ah Man (played by Zhao Lu Si) and evades her foes.
Determined to exact revenge on those who wronged her, she allows Fu Jiu Yun to help her, and the duo eventually forms a love bond. But when they discover that destiny dictates that their romance may have an unexpectedly short life, the duo is forced to make difficult decisions that will impact their lives – and those of the princess’ subjects – forever.
This drama was based on a novel by Shu Si Lang.
“Love of Thousand Years” is a 2020 Chinese drama series that was directed by Hui Yu.
Episodes: 30
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Viki
7. The Romance of Tiger and Rose (main role)
Synopsis from Viki:
Chen Xiao Qian (Zhao Lu Si) has dedicated her entire life to making her dream of becoming a well-respected screenwriter come true. Standing on the production set of the sweeping drama she penned through endless blood, sweat, and tears, Xiao Qian can hardly believe what she’s seeing: her work, come to life! Proud of the effort she put into creating this epic tale, Xiao Qian expects things on-set to go quickly and smoothly. But all her high-hopes are soon crushed as her script falls under the critical scrutiny of both the cast and crew.
Hurt by the harshness of her peers, Xiao Qian vows to prove herself but things don’t go the way she planned. Mysteriously transported into the pages of her own story, Xiao Qian has now become the Third Princess, Chen Qian Qian, an insignificant side character with a horrible reputation and a short lifespan. Desperate to change her fate, Xiao Qian vows to do whatever it takes to ensure her survival. But the journey ahead won’t be easy, especially not after she catches the attention of both the arrogant and manipulative prince, Han Dong, and the impossibly perfect Minister of Education, Pei Heng.
Wandering through a world of her own making, Xiao Qian is desperate, not only to survive, but to keep her heart intact as she tries to find her way back home. Will her efforts be enough or will she be stuck in this story forever?
An unexpected adventure across the universes, The Romance of Tiger and Rose is a 2020 fantasy romance drama directed by Cha Chuen Yee.
My comment:
I was confused by the ending. Spoiler alert. IIRC, she only returned to the present time in the last episode where she re-encountered the guy again, but I’m not sure whether he recognized her because they were only together in her “dream” world.
Episodes: 24
Network: Tencent Video
Where to Watch It? Viki
8. Dating in the Kitchen (main lead)
Two words: Watch this. The male lead, Lin Yushen, is no boy-next-door, and he’s scrumptious.
credit: dailychinesedrama’s tumblr
My comment: I didn’t finish it because I was buried by work. But when I have time, I’ll finish it. I didn’t mind the age difference here. I like it as much as I like the age difference between Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn in “Love in the Afternoon” (1957).
Episodes: 24
Network: Tencents
Where to Watch It? Viki
2021
9. The Long Ballad (secondary lead)
The main female lead is Dilraba. Zhao Lusi is only second.
Episodes: 49!! (Nope. 49 hours means I’ll spend more than 2 days in front of my ipad. Maybe when I’m retired…)
Network: Tencents
Where to watch it? Viki, Netflix
10. Please Feel at Ease, Mr. Ling (main lead)
Synopsis from Viki:
A spunky young woman, doing her best to make her dreams come true, Gu An Xin (Zhao Lu Si) never expected her life to be anything other than ordinary. Working as a delivery-woman, An Xin spent her days zipping around the city, completely unaware that her life was about to take an unusual turn. But turn it did, the day she ran, quite literally, into a man by the name of Ling Yue (Liu Te).
The heir of a major corporation, Ling Yue was poised to take over the family business, until an unfortunate accident nearly cost him his life. Severely injured and left for dead, things for Ling Yue couldn’t get much worse. Or so he thought. Dragging himself onto the road, in search of help, Ling Yue ran directly into An Xin, or rather she ran into him. Terrified of what she’d just done, An Xin rushed Ling Yue to the hospital, only to find that not only was he badly injured, but also suffering from a case of amnesia. Unable to leave a memory-less Ling Yue stranded, An Xin invites him into her home, promising to do her best to nurse him back to health.
Polar opposites, An Xing and Ling Yue find living together to be difficult, at best; but time and patience brings about an unexpected change. Drawing ever closer, the two realize their feelings for each other have taken an unexpected turn, at least until Ling Yue’s memories return. Remembering who he is, will Ling Yue and An Xin really be able to find a way to live happily ever after?
Adapted from the web novel, “I Accidentally Picked Up a President” by Chun Feng Yi Du, “Please Feel At Ease Mr. Ling” is a 2021 romantic comedy drama directed by Zhong Qing.
My comment:
I guess this was cute enough, but no. Zhao Lusi and her costar didn’t have chemistry. And I told you she was a beauty vampire right? She totally sucked her costar’s looks. He looked like a turnip with a nose.
Episodes: 24
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Viki
11. A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College (main lead)
Synopsis from Viki:
Sang Qi (Zhao Lu Si) is a young woman who grew up at the very border of the Empire, where she developed into a free-spirited, energetic, and intelligent person. Yan Yun Zhi (Xu Kai Cheng), meanwhile, is the new acting head of the prestigious Imperial College – the place where the finest scholars in the land are trained. Yan Yun Zhi has vowed to be upright and reform the college. Sang Qi decides to visit the college and see what Yan Yun Zhi is like for herself, but the first meeting between them is problematic – as she stops the path of his carriage before it can collide with a noblewoman.
Sang Qi also runs into Zhuo Wen Yuan (Ren Hao), her childhood friend, who is now residing in the capital. She tells him that she has promised to enter the Imperial College – which usually only enlists young men from noble families. Although the task will be hard, she will not give in easily, as she is hoping to fulfill the last wish of her late elder brother. But as she begins her quest to win acceptance to the prestigious institute, it appears that both her childhood friend and the righteous head of the college have begun to develop feelings for her!
“A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College” is a 2021 Chinese drama series that was directed by Xu Pei Shan and Cai Guo Li.
My comment: Her costar had a cheating scandal.
Episodes: 30
Network: Tencent
Where to Watch It? Viki
2022
12. Love Like the Galaxy (main lead)
Loooooong kdrama with Leo Yu. Drama was broken up in two parts (maybe to get around the newly-imposed limits on the number of episodes a cdrama may have?)
Episodes: 27 + 29 episodes
Network: Tencents
Where to Watch It? Viki
13. Who Rules the World? (main lead)
Kdrama with YangYang. That’s all you need to know.
Episodes: 40 episodes
Network: Tencents
Where to Watch It? Netflix
2023
14. Hidden Love
I don’t know which scene is most memorable so I’ll leave this empty for now.
Episodes: 25
Network: Youku
Where to Watch It? Netflix
Thanks for augmenting the list of Zhao Lu Si’s dramas @pkml3. If I were the kind of viewer who goes into a show solely for the main actors/actresses, I’d go for the Xiao Zhan and YY ones. However, I’m pretty hard to please and the most unexpected shows suck me in. 🙄🧐🤔😑
BTW @pkml3, how did you find the first Episode of Silent?
Oh, and you may have noticed that we’re planning another rewatch starting from August 26th. 🤭😝
Thank you @Packmule!
Based on this I will try ‘Dating in the Kitchen’!
A note on ‘O My Emperor’ – I’m not into astrology either and I agree with and respect your stance.
I also avoid some types of supernatural show if I think they begin to get into dark territory.
This show makes use of the Zodiac names to name the leaders of the kingdom into which ZL falls. It also adds in other star-named groups (Zhao Lusi is part of a group of people who are named under another star or constellation can’t remember) and kingdoms.
When I’ve watched it – I may be missing something here – it hasn’t bothered me because of the way they use the concept.
But if people don’t watch it on principle – that is also a good decision … I may be being lax because I enjoy the show!
@packmule3
Thank you for this post 🙂
@agdr03
Girlfriend, this is our favourite list!!! I need to make time for ‘Hidden Love’ soon.
I don’t remember how many times I’ve watched particular ‘Dating in the Kitchen’ scenes already 😀 I even sat through 2 seasons of ‘Love Like the Galaxy’ just because of Lusi!
@packmule, I think that Lin Yu Shen is a rare actor who looks better with a moustache. I agree with your opinion.
Looking at all of these clips, I think that Zhao Lusi’s face has become slimmer with age. She looks like a teenager in “I Hear You” but looks mature and more elegant at the end of “Hidden Love.” I think Mr Ling looks more parsnip than turnip. I remember what you wrote about Skeletor/Leo Wu. It’s the hair + cheekbones. He looks older than 23 with that look, doesn’t he?
You are welcome! ☺️
Thank you! Let me go through the list.
1 – OK. I’ll skip it.
2 – Rosy does look cute so I’ll give it a go since it’s only 21 episodes.
3 – True. Those gifs doesn’t do anything for me. She’s almost strangling him. 😂 It’s a pity coz it’s on Netflix.
4 – I’m not familiar with the ML. Skip.
5 – This one looks interesting. I’ll see if I’ll get to it much later.
6 – Rosy said this drama was her chubbiest. She said to her fans that they must really like her. 😊
7 – I like this drama. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t only her in her dream world. He must have travelled back in time too to recognise her in the current time.
8 – I LOVE this drama! 🥰 It was funny and to pull off that connection between an older man and a younger woman, I have to give it to Rosy and Lin Yushen. 👍🏻
9 – I enjoyed it even though Rosy was only second lead. 😃 My complaint was there was no kissing scene between Dilraba and Leo Wu. 😝 Like it was just implied. Thinking now, maybe that was a waste of my time. 🤣
10 – I enjoyed it especially with them having twins in the end. ☺️
11 – Skip.
12 – I will always have a soft spot for this drama. It was that slow burn romance but I Iaughed, cried and I was happy for their happily ever after. It was worth all those episodes. 🥰
13 – Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi. ❤️❤️❤️
14 – I have a few favourite scenes so I’ll decide when I’m over it. 😆
Girlfriend @Phoenix! We’re truly twins in our drama life. 😍 🙌🏻
Didn’t we enjoy our rewatch, rewatch and rewatch of Dating In The Kitchen? 🥰🥰🥰
Love Like The Galaxy hits different too. ☺️
Dating in the Kitchen was amazing and also the movie its based off of too “This is not what I expected’ https://youtu.be/U3-NME38 (this one has the english subtitles )!
and Love Like the Galaxy was really, really good – one of my top Cdramas
I was first introduced to Zhao Lusi through I Hear You, which I wasn’t overly impressed with. I had an “Oh, that girl!” moment when watching Who Rules the World, and grew to really like her as an actress in this drama. Hidden Love really cemented what a great actress she was for me. I thought ZL did such a good job transitioning from playing a young girl (I almost didn’t recognize her!) to the older college student.
Thank you so much for putting this list together! I’ve just added Dating in the Kitchen and Love Like the Galaxy to my “To Be Watched” list.
Welcome to the blog, @Mere.
My recommended Zhao Lusi “starter pack” would include “Hidden Love” and “Dating in the Kitchen.” Then any of the costumed drama.
You’ll want to take a break after that and rest your eyes.
Maybe I’ll create a list of Chinese actresses I like too. I have definite likes and dislikes. 😂😂
I like Bai Lu (“Forever and Ever” and “Till the Moon Ends”), Ma SiChun (“You Are My Hero” and “Oh My General”), and Zong Zuer (“Legally Romance”).
I’m still forcing myself to like Dilraba Dilmuhat 😂 (“You Are My Glory”).
A few actresses I find pretty, but whose recent projects don’t interest me:
Angelababy (the movie version of “Love O2O”)
Zhao Liying (“Story of Ming Lan”)
Yang Zhi (“Go Go Squid”)
Janice Wu (“Le Coup de Foudre”)
Some actresses I’m just allergic to:
Yu Shuxin (or Esther Yu 😂😂 She’s the reason I can’t finish “Love Between Fairy and Devil”)
Xing Fei (I liked her in “Put Your Head on My Shoulder but developed allergies after that)
LOL @pkml3, from that long list of actresses you dislike, I envision that you’ll be saving yourself a heap of time by not watching their many shows!!!
I tend to still watch more than avoid watching those that I don’t particularly care for, and conversely, I don’t even watch shows with those I like in them, just because I don’t care for the plot or the character(s) that they portray. 😜
Don’t watch I hear you unless you want to JUST watch ZLS. Her acting is awesome but I cringe at the ML’s acting which was really quite unbearable to watch. And the violin playing was so FAKE! ARgh!! Even Park Eun-Bin’s violin playing in “Do you like Brahms” was believable because she really practiced it!
Then I felt like some parts didn’t connect so well, the scenes had empty moments where I felt the transitions seemed so…how do you put it, disconnected? Anyway, I was watching with family so I multitasked my way through the show.
7. I loved Romance between Tiger and Rose and it was in that drama I also loved Ding Yuxi’s acting so much that I watched how he got won an acting competition called “I,Actor”
I think in this drama, the FL & ML recognized each other in the end because of the same item they had an held from their past/dream life?
8. I have to watch this one day, so many of you gave such rave reviews of it.
9. The Long Ballad was my 2nd epic length and 3rd Chinese drama I watched. Before that I only watched kdramas. Did you know that ZLS won the Outstanding Asian Star at the Seoul International Award for this drama.
http://www.seouldrama.org/eng/awards/works2.php?entryDataYear=2021&type=type2
12. I actually kinda liked Love like the Galaxy….Long as it is but if I was gonna be watching 1-3 episodes every night with hubby, if it is not this drama, it will be another drama. So we DID finish it happily and were very satisfied with the twists and turns in the drama. It has good ups and downs, comedy(especially the emperor) and tragic moments. I loved ZLS’s acting here…and as usual when she cries, I cry.
13. I also enjoyed “Who rules the World” a lot. The characters were really smart and I wanted to see what they would do next, how they will tackle the problem at hand. I have to say ZLS was being vampirish here too…YY is already quite cool but ZLS shines through so much here. I also start to find YY’s acting a little lackluster here compared to ZLS, plus I don’t quite like his combed up hair look. :/
After this and before Hidden Love ZLS also had two more dramas: HuTong and GenZ which were not as great as her previous works…mainly because of the story, I’m sure, and not ZLS herself. Anyone watched those?
@grace, I watched HuTong and Gen Z because of Lusi.
I didn’t mind them, Lusi was good but the drama itself wasn’t as interesting. 😊
Oh but the confession scene in Gen Z was funny. She was in the loo with diarrhoea and the ML told her of his feelings. 😂 She was like is this really happening? While I’m doing number 2?
Excuse the comment incase you’re eating. 🤭
I first saw Zhao Lusi on Untouchable Lovers with Guan Xiaotong and Song Weilong, but truly noticed her through dramas 4 and 5. Li Hongyi is one lucky lad to have 2 dramas with her. Sadly, his career hadn’t progressed as much as hers.
Im so happy about this list! The first cdrama I ever watched was Hidden Love, and then after I finished it I watched it again! From there I followed Zhao Lusi to Who rules the world and then Love like the Galaxy. I loved both, but I fell in love with the too young for me Leo Wu in this last one. I loved his character. Hits all the spots! Then I watched Long Ballad which was way too long and Dilraba is sometimes not so good at acting. I’m also not fond of camouflage kissing scenes? Either do it or don’t! Faking it just ruins the whole groove…? Then I watched his tennis drama, Nothing But you which was just ok. He doesn’t have very good kissing skills. Poor boy. Enigma and stoicism is definitely his forte. I’m thankful for this list so I have somewhere to go next! 😍 is there a post about Yang Yang recommendations? I wish he and Zhao Lusi would do another project. Their chemistry was not bad! The Hidden Love ML sadly didn’t turn up other promising dramas, from what I saw. Unless Handsome Siblings is better than the synopsis suggests?
Thanks for all your contributions! Didn’t think I would be into cdramas!
@pm3 i didn’t know this was here coz I started watching a lot of her shows. but not all of it. some i have started but have not gotten back to them.
you made me laugh with your comment about her costar in “Please feel at ease Mr LIng” – that he looks like a turnip LOL. actually his looks kinda grew on me hahah. i enjoyed that show.
your comment about the male lead of “i hear you” also made me laugh coz i agree that the actor can’t even pretend to play the violin hahaha. but i also enjoyed the show. which means, i finished them haha.
i did like “the long ballad” and “love like the galaxy” *i am glad that by the time i saw it, they put the 2 parts together. and i didn’t mind that she was not the main lead. i like that her character had a redemptive arc because she changed from an introvert princess to someone who experienced the hardship of her people and was able to make a change for them. i also like who she ended up. and not the other guy LOL.